21 Powerful Questions to Ask ERP Providers

It’s not easy to find the right ERP system and vendor for your business. No matter which industry or what your specific functional needs are, it’s imperative to get answers to the right questions so you can be well informed and make a good purchasing decision.

Don’t buy a new ERP system without asking specific questions about these topics:

Business outcomes

Services

Security & Risk

Vendor Quality

Training & Documentation

Scalability

Ongoing Support

We have taken the guess work out of the ERP discovery process. Download the free e-book below for the pertinent questions to get a conversation started with your ERP provider. PC Bennett has been implementing ERP systems and providing ongoing ERP support for companies since 2002 and we are happy to assist as we know it can be a large endeavor.

ERP Implementation

New to ERP? Understanding the implementation process and having a plan will make for a smooth transition.

There are 6 phases that make up an ERP implementation project: Discovery and Planning, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, and Ongoing Support. Though this is an iterative process, there will be a tendency for phases to overlap, and for movement back and forth between phases.

With our team having over a century of combined experience in financial software and ERP implementations, I have outlined the process that we use with our customers as a series of 6 articles. See the linked steps below for a more in depth look at each phase.

We hope that the free e-book linked below can serve as a valuable resource to you and your organization when exploring ERP projects as well as other enterprise systems.

ERP Implementation Plan

1. Discovery and Planning

This first phase begins during the sales process and then continues post-sale. During this period, the project team will be created. There will be initial meetings and documentation developed as the team works to identify current issues and potential solutions. An important part of this phase is constructing the project plan, which will serve as a guide throughout the rest of the project.

2. Design

We’re not talking about painting the office or rearranging furniture. Instead, what will the new enterprise-wide system look like and how will it be used in the organization? In the ERP Design phase, the project team and implementation team will be working out the various configurations for the new system, defining roles, and documenting standard procedures.

3. Development

The purpose of the development phase is to prepare the entire system for going live. This includes activities such as completing any necessary customizations, developing user trainings, and importing data. With ERP implementations, like any custom software development projects – “First, Solve the problem. Then, write the code.”

4. Testing

Is the system’s functionality aligning with the set requirements for the project? The Testing and Development phases will often overlap, as the implementation and project teams jump between the two – constantly fine tuning the configuration. By the end of this phase, project team members will be comfortable doing their jobs in the new system. This is the final step before diving into the live system.

5. Deployment

The project team and implementation team will assess the situation and make the final go or no-go decision. Prior to going live, the final data will be loaded and validated. The project team will train other employees who will then start working in the new system, and completely stop using the old one.

6. Ongoing Support

Once the ERP system has gone live, the purpose of the project team will shift. Over time, as the way the users work within the system evolves, adjustments and changes to the system configuration may be needed.

We have included all of these steps in much greater detail in the free e-book which you can download below. PC Bennett has been implementing ERP systems and providing ongoing ERP support for companies since 2002 and we are happy to assist as we know it can be a large endeavor.

ERP: Why doing nothing isn't an option

The cost to your business of doing nothing is very real. You can’t afford to delay an ERP software decision.

Factors to consider:

No ERP

Replacing legacy ERP

Updating ERP

Cost of avoiding ERP decision

There are many reasons organizations decide not to move to ERP software and or upgrade their existing solution. The report below, by the Aberdeen Group, cautions against this approach by supplying research that illustrates the benefits of keeping your ERP current and up to date.